Watermelon & Feta Salad
Summer demands food that respects the heat. This salad is a study in contrasts—sweet watermelon against salty feta, crisp red onion against yielding fruit, fresh mint cutting through it all with bright clarity. It is the kind of dish best assembled at the last moment, ingredients cold from the refrigerator, served immediately while everything still has definition.
The combination might seem unconventional to some, but it follows ancient Mediterranean wisdom: fruit and cheese, sweet and saline, are natural partners. Think melon with prosciutto, figs with gorgonzola, pears with pecorino. Here, we add a whisper of heat from Aleppo pepper and brightness from lime, creating something that feels at once timeless and contemporary.
This is entertaining food at its finest—impressive in its simplicity, requiring no cooking, no heat, no stress. Arrange it on your best platter. The visual alone will draw people in. The flavour will make them stay.
Ingredients
- ¼ seedless watermelon (about 1kg), rind removed
- 200g quality feta, crumbled into chunks
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves, torn
- ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lime, juiced
- ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper (or ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes)
- Flaky sea salt
Method
- Cut watermelon into irregular chunks, about 3cm pieces. Arrange on a large serving platter in a single layer, allowing some overlap.
- Soak sliced red onion in cold water for 5 minutes to mellow its sharpness. Drain thoroughly and pat dry.
- Scatter feta chunks over watermelon, distributing evenly. Add drained onion slices.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and lime juice. Drizzle over the salad.
- Scatter torn mint leaves across the top. Sprinkle with Aleppo pepper and a pinch of flaky salt. Serve immediately while cold and crisp. This salad does not benefit from sitting—assemble and serve.
Nutritional Information
| Per Serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 185 kcal |
| Protein | 7g |
| Carbohydrates | 18g |
| Fat | 10g |
